Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Trump Reinstitutes Ban On Foreign Aid To NGOs That Promote Abortion Services

As reported by the New York Times, in a Presidential Memorandum (full text) issued yesterday President Trump reinstated the so-called "Mexico-City Policy."  The policy bars U.S. foreign aid dollars from going to nongovernmental organizations that offer abortion counseling or  advocate the right to seek abortions in their home countries.  Other U.S. law already bans the use of taxpayer dollars to fund actual abortion services, but this policy prohibits funds going to organizations even if they use other funds to promote abortion. The policy, originally instituted in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan has been suspended by Democratic presidents and reinstituted by Republican presidents ever since.